Brighton and Brenda

We’re Brighton and Brenda, cats who enjoy watching television commercials. We’re hoping that you, like us, remember seeing the Publisher’s Clearing House prize commercial. To jog your memory, in this commercial you see a group of people, the Prize Patrol, holding balloons and an over-sized prize check for big money standing outside a front door and greeting the shocked winner who is overcome with joy. We love this commercial because we feel like we are grand prize winners who experienced similar shock and joy.

In the weeks before we became winners, we were living the darkest days of our lives. From kitten-hood on, we had happily lived with each other and our person. The three of us had loved and cared for each other. Then, poof, the life we had always known came to an end when our person passed away. No other person came forward to take care of us so Animal Control brought us to the Animal Care League. We were frightened, confused and sad. People at the Animal Care League comforted and cared for us. Gradually, we came to feel safe and our caretakers prepared us to move to the adoption room to begin looking for a person to call our own. This was a good news/bad news moment for us. The good news was that we were ready for adoption. The bad new was that black cats are less likely to be adopted. The chances of two black cats being adopted together are even slimmer so we had to accept that we might be separated by adoption.

In the adoption room, we lived in separate cages next to each other. We were able to meet and catch up nose to nose when we left our home cages to explore the adoption room. We couldn’t quite give up hope that we would be adopted together, but we tried to be realistic about the future. People came and people went. Cats came and cats went home with their adopters. We tried to make the best of our situation but it was so different from the life we had known that it was difficult.

One day, a potential adopter spent a long time getting to know us and talking with the adoption counselor who knew us. We liked this adopter and she seemed to like us. But then, like so many people before her, she left. We didn’t. Several days passed. Then, it was our moment. It was like the Prize Patrol had arrived on our doorstep. She came back and adopted both of us together. Together! We arrived at her home, now our home, to find a wonderland of cat toys, a cat tree, and best of all, a person of our own who seemed to instantly delight in our company. It was the feline equivalent of being greeted with an entourage bearing balloons and a check for a large sum of money. The odds of winning this grand prize were slim but thanks to good fortune and the Animal Care League here we are--together, happy, and once again a threesome who will love and care for each other. We all feel like we’ve won a million bucks!

Letter to the ACL (exactly as it was received)

Dear Animal Care League,

My son and a friend recently dropped off 2 jumbo bags filled with many blankets and towels, I thought a letter following up would let you see the impact we are hoping to make.

My dad, John Trilik, passed away recently and was a true lover of all animals. He was blind (since the age of 27) and at the end almost deaf. Not too long ago he would have been seen daily, by himself, walking his 2 dogs around northwest Oak Park (close to his home on Kenilworth), sometimes would even jog, hence his nickname “The Cane Jogger”. Those that have lived or operated business back in the 70’s and 80’s in this area would certainly remember him if asked.

The blankets and towels were what my father used and it is of great comfort to us to know that the animals will use them, snuggle in them and perhaps give him a smile back.

I love the work your organization does, all 3 of my cats are rescued and I truly believe in your mission.